Legacy
by Thn0715
Summary: After a devastating explosion, a chance encounter with some old, familiar faces shows Aaron Hotchner the true legacy of the BAU. Warning: Major Character Deaths .  No pairings. **WINNER/tie: BEST HOTCH/ROSSI  PROFILER'S CHOICE 2011 CM FANFIC AWARDS**
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello once again, friends. I hope you are all well. It's been a while since I posted a multi-chapter fic, and this one has been in the works for more than six months. I lost my way a few times, but it has finally come together. It will be five chapters. I'd normally say I hope you like it, but that may not be the right words for what's in store for you. This takes place sometime in the future. I didn't put an exact time frame on it, but a few years from now. You'll understand why in chapter 2.**

**I'll go ahead and warn you now, this is going to be a rough one. You guys know how I like my angst and drama and… well… this one definitely covers that. This one has been an emotional roller coaster for me to write. Yes, I've made myself cry. More than once. Always freaks me out a little bit when that happens!**

**This story is inspired by the song "Welcome To The Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance. The quotes at the beginning and end of each chapter are lyrics from the song. For those who haven't heard it, look it up! It's great! (Dang! This is turning into the longest Author's Note I've ever written!)**

**To Cinny – Several months ago, you read over this first chapter for me and I've left you hanging. SORRY! Hopefully the wait for the finished product will be worth it.**

**To TN, Rockie, Wotumba, and Monkey – Please don't hurt me! I love you guys! I promise, I'll bring you some Hotch brownies when this is all over. "Why would we hurt you?" you ask. Well, here's why…**

**WARNING: Major Character Death(s)**

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><p><strong><em>LEGACY<em>**

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_When I was a young boy, my father took me into the city to see a marching band. He said, "Son, when you grow up, would you be the savior of the broken, the beaten and the damned?"_

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They entered the abandoned building slowly, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. Guns drawn, Prentiss and Reid took the east corridor, Morgan and JJ the west, Hotch and Rossi the center. They kept ears on each other via their communication devices, checking and clearing rooms as they went, looking for any sign of their Unsub or his dangerous, deadly explosive devices; his favorite toys as he referred to them.

"East corridor completely clear," Prentiss called out. "Heading back now."

"Same for the west," JJ responded.

"One more to clear in the center," Hotch called back quietly. "Meet back in the lobby."

Hotch and Rossi continued to clear the center corridor. They stood together in front of the last door with guns at the ready. Hotch nodded to Rossi, who gently and quietly opened the last door. Hotch entered first, Rossi right behind him.

"We've got a body," Rossi informed the team.

"Want us to come up?"

"Negative, Morgan," Hotch returned. "The rest of the room isn't clear yet. Stay put."

"Hotch," Rossi got his attention. "This is our Unsub. Looks like he slit his own throat."

Hotch returned to Rossi's side to get a closer look. He noticed something in the man's hand.

"What is that?"

Rossi pried his hand open gently, careful not to touch the device.

"It's a remote detonator. There's got to be something…"

Before Rossi could finish the sentence, something on the body started beeping. They looked frantically before finding the explosive device attached to the man's belt, hidden from view by his jacket. And it was ticking away a very short countdown. Rossi and Hotch glanced briefly at each other, knowing they were in a heap of trouble.

"Everybody out!" Hotch yelled through his com-link as he and Rossi got up and ran. "It's a trap! Everybody out now! Go! Move!"

Reid, Prentiss, Morgan, and JJ made it out of the building with ease, but stopped on a dime when they heard the small explosion. They turned, hoping like hell to see Hotch and Rossi running out of the double doors. Instead they were greeted by a much bigger explosion and stared, transfixed in horror, as the roof collapsed, trapping their friends inside.

Morgan was the first to shake himself out of his state and ran towards the burning building.

"Hotch! Rossi!"

The others were right on his tail, desperate to find their friends.

"Dave!"

"Aaron!"

"Hotch! Rossi! We're coming!"

JJ immediately got on the radio to call for immediate medical and fire/rescue assistance, but could barely hear the dispatcher over the shouting of her teammates or the pounding of her heart. Garcia, in constant radio contact with all of them on this mission, could hear her frantic plea for help - "two agents still trapped inside!" - and immediately jumped into action.

"Oh God! Guys, I've got your location. I'm sending you an army. Be careful!"

Morgan kept trying to push closer to the rubble, desperate to find his way in, but the flames were too hot. They had no choice but to wait for the fire and rescue crews. It was the longest few minutes of their lives.

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_He said, "Will you defeat them, your demons and all the non-believers, the plans that they have made? Because one day, I'll leave you, a phantom, to lead you in the summer to join the Black Parade."_

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hi again! Just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has favorited and alerted this story. And a special thanks to those of you who reviewed! Very much appreciated, as always!**

**Once again, I beg of my pals (Rockie especially)... Please don't hurt me! Remember, this takes place a few years into the future. This chapter and the next are fairly short. Sorry about that. **

**Are you ready to meet a few unexpected guests? Some old, familiar faces? Here you go!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

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_Sometimes I get the feeling she's watching over me, and other times I feel like I should go. And through it all, the rise and fall, the bodies in the streets. And when you're gone we want you all to know, we'll carry on._

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Hotch looked around, confused. He remembered the explosion. He expected to see rubble and fire. He expected to smell smoke. He expected to hear screams and sirens. He expected darkness. But he neither saw, smelled, nor heard any of those things. All he saw was white - an endless nothingness of white. And all he heard was silence – blissful, yet unnerving silence. He walked forward, eager to find his team. He had to know that they were okay.

"Dave?" he called out. Dave was with him right before the explosion. He should be right beside him. But he wasn't.

"Morgan? JJ?" He reached for his radio but he no longer had it. He also realized that he no longer had his guns.

"Prentiss! Reid!" he called louder, becoming somewhat frantic. "Somebody answer me!"

"Hello, Aaron."

He wheeled around at the sound of an all-too familiar, yet highly unexpected voice. The sight before him nearly brought him to his knees. There was no way he could be seeing what he was seeing. It was impossible.

"He looks like he's seen a ghost," a second voice spoke to the first.

Aaron shook his head. "This is a dream." He looked between them, his head spinning with confusion. "This can't be real."

"This is no dream, Aaron."

"But…" He ran his hands through his hair and shook his head again in disbelief. "But you're dead. You're both dead."

He pointed at Max Ryan. "You died two years ago. You had cancer. I was at your funeral." Max nodded.

He turned to Jason Gideon. "And you had a heart condition. You had a heart attack last summer. Stephen sent us your letters after you died." Jason nodded as well.

"This doesn't make any sense." Hotch shook his head. "That would mean…" He swallowed hard, knowing exactly what that meant. Max leaned and whispered to Jason.

"A rare Aaron Hotchner freak out in 3…2…"

But he didn't. He looked around, frantic at first. And as a realization struck him, he dropped his head and breathed a sigh of relief.

"They made it out," he mumbled to himself.

"What?" Jason asked, cocking his head to one side and curiously observing his one-time student.

"The others. They're not here." He let a small smile form his lips. "They made it out."

"Not exactly, kid."

And just like that the smile was gone. He turned and came face to face with his best friend.

"Dave?"

Rossi put his hand on Hotch's shoulder.

"No," Hotch whispered in disbelief.

"It's okay, Aaron."

"No." It came out almost as a whimper. His voice held much more emotion this time. He sounded like he was right on the edge of breaking down.

"It's my time, Aaron," Rossi smiled at him. "It's okay."

"But…" He struggled to find the right words. "We can't both leave, Dave. The team… What about the team?"

"The team will be fine," Rossi reassured him. "They have you."

"I don't understand," Hotch looked around, confused. "How is that possible? I'm here."

"You aren't staying here, Aaron," Gideon chimed in. "You're going back. We just needed to talk to you first."

"Come sit down," Max gestured to a white table with four white chairs.

Hotch did as he was asked and followed Max Ryan and Jason Gideon to the table he hadn't remembered seeing earlier. His head was spinning with confusion. Max was dead. Jason was dead. Dave just confirmed he was dead as well. That should mean that he was dead too, shouldn't it?

Correctly reading the confusion on Hotch's face, Gideon offered an explanation.

"You're not dead, Aaron. You're in a coma. You won't stay that way for long. You'll wake up shortly after we send you back. This will all feel like a dream, but you will remember it vividly. We know we don't have much time, so we should get started."

Aaron took a deep breath, still trying to wrap his head around the situation. "Okay."

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_We'll carry on. We'll carry on. And though you're dead and gone, believe me, your memory will carry on, we'll carry on. And in my heart, I can't contain it, the anthem won't explain it._

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	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks once again for all the alerts and favorites, and especially the reviews! They mean the world! Glad you guys are enjoying this so far! Max and Gideon have a few more things to say to Aaron. I know this is short, but I wanted to save Dave for the next chapter. Chapters 4 and 5 will be longer. Especially 5.  
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**To my board bro, Falc... As I said earlier, you are the main reason I'm writing at all. You gave me the encouragement and the push I needed to stop being a chicken and let others read my stuff. I will forever be grateful! Therefore, this chapter is dedicated to you!**

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

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_And while that sends you reeling from decimated dreams, your misery and hate will kill us all. So paint it black and take it back, let's shout out loud and clear. Do you fight it to the end? We hear the call to carry on._

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"We want to talk to you about the future of the BAU," Max began. "Or more importantly, your part in it. The BAU is completely in your hands now, Aaron. As long as Dave was still around, there was always a founding member present to ensure the sanctity of the unit. That unit is special. The three of us gave everything to developing and maintaining it despite everyone around us saying what we sough could never be done. We gave up our lives for it. You could honestly say all of us were married to the BAU. Hell, between the three of us there are at least 5 failed marriages and broken relationships with our children. And yet, we all remained loyal to the BAU until it nearly broke us. All of us at one point or another had to walk away. All of us except you."

"You're the one who has managed to keep it together despite the tragedies and horrors that belonging to the BAU has thrown at you," Gideon continued where Max left off. "Even after I left, I still kept tabs on all of you. I know about everything you've been through over the last few years. Events that would, and in some cases did, break the best of us, you've managed to persevere through them. It's why they need you so much, and why we need you so much. You did the one thing none of us were able to do. You made the BAU a family."

"You were part of that family, Jason," Hotch interrupted. "You were there to help shape and mold that family."

Gideon shook his head. "Even when I was still with the unit, it was you they all looked to as an example. It was you they turned to for help and guidance. It was you who led them and taught them and showed them what it means to be the best."

"What about Reid?" Hotch reminded Gideon of the special relationship he'd held with the young genius. Gideon smiled.

"Spencer will always be special to me. I formed a bond with him unlike any bond I've ever formed with any other agent. But when Spencer needed us the most – in Georgia – it wasn't me that he trusted to decode his message. It wasn't me who he trusted to look deeper into what he was saying and know that he was trying to tell us where he was. It wasn't me he trusted to understand. It was you, Aaron. When he needed us the most, it was you he trusted with his life. Don't you understand? You are the most important piece to this puzzle. You are the heart and soul, not only of your team, but of the entire BAU."

Hotch looked down at the table in front of him. He'd never thought of himself in that way. He always just considered himself a part of the team. Sure, he was their Unit Chief, but he never saw himself as more important than the others. They needed a Unit Chief to take care of the bureaucratic red tape and to make a final decision when the team was deadlocked, and his background qualified him to deal with that. But Morgan and Rossi were equally qualified. With a few more years experience, Prentiss, Reid, and JJ would all be qualified as well. He didn't see himself as anyone special. He wasn't a hero. He was just a guy doing a job.

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_We'll carry on. And though you're dead and gone, believe me, your memory will carry on. We'll carry on. And though you're broken and defeated, you're weary widow marches on._

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	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hi again! Just wanted to thank you all again for the wonderful response this story is getting. And especially to my anonymous reviewers whom I can't send a personal thanks... your reviews are appreciated as well!**

**This chapter is considerably longer than the previous three. And you're finally gonna get a little Dave in this one. Honestly, I think this chapter is my favorite. Dave has something very special to say to Aaron before this is over.  
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**Here... you may need these for this one. *leaves box of tissues* I cried while writing it, just so you know.  
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><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

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_Do or die, you'll never make me, because the world will never take my heart. Though you try, you'll never break me, we want it all, we wanna play this part. Won't explain or say I'm sorry. I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scar. Give a cheer for all the broken. Listen here, because it's only… I'm just a man, I'm not a hero. Just a boy who wanna sing his song. Just a man, I'm not a hero..._

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Rossi pulled him out of his thoughts by placing a hand on his arm. "That's why we need you so much," he explained. "You are the only person we trust to continue and build upon the legacy of the BAU. We need you to bring the BAU into the future by continuing to do what you do best, leading by example. We all saw how well Morgan did as the acting Unit Chief. Think of how much better he could be with you actively guiding him, training him to one day fill that post. Look at how far Reid has come over the years with your guidance. His skill level and confidence have grown immensely. He will, undoubtedly, be one of the greatest teachers the bureau has ever seen. Prentiss and JJ have shown over and over again just how important women are to the BAU. And they're able to do that because you refuse to show bias or hold them back because of their gender. And you've shown that it is still possible to do this job and still have a family. You have a strong, healthy relationship with your son. Something very few in our line of work can say. You are the greatest leader the BAU has, Aaron. Other Unit Chiefs follow your lead. They see how effective you are and how loyal the team is to you, and they strive to emulate that."

"In short, Aaron," Max spoke up again, "we need you to take care of our girl."

Aaron looked slightly confused, so Max clarified. "As I said, the three of us were all married to the BAU. And now we've widowed her. But we're counting on you to keep her going, to keep her strong. She needs you as much as you need her. It's up to you now to carry on and build upon her legacy."

The four men sat quietly for a time, allowing Aaron to absorb all he'd heard. It was a lot to take in, knowing the future of the BAU rested on his shoulders, and knowing the one person he would usually turn to for guidance would not be with him. As if he were reading his mind, Rossi spoke up.

"Remember," he said as he placed a hand on Aaron's arm again, "you are not alone in this. We are all standing behind you. And your team will be beside you. Always."

Aaron nodded his understanding.

"We're almost out of time." Max stood from his chair. Jason stood as well. Dave looked from his former protégé to his former mentors before taking a deep breath and standing as well.

Jason spoke quietly to Dave. "We'll give you two a few moments to say goodbye." He and Max moved away to give them some privacy.

"Well," Dave sighed as he faced Aaron, "I guess this is it."

"I can't believe it ends like this." There was sadness in Aaron's voice, but Dave only smiled.

"This is just the beginning, my friend."

Aaron smiled briefly, but hung his head trying to maintain his emotional control.

"You know," Dave continued, "there's something I've been meaning to say to you for a long time, but never quite found the right time or place to say it."

He put both hands on Aaron's shoulders and waited for Aaron to make eye contact before finally saying it.

"I'm proud of you, son."

He immediately saw the tears build in Aaron's eyes, but he needed to get this out and knew he'd never get another chance, so he kept going.

"You are the closest thing I've ever had to a son. Watching you over the years, seeing how far you've come; from that squeaky clean, ambitions kid that first set foot in my office to the greatest agent to ever grace the BAU. To see everything you've accomplished and everything you will accomplish. You've become so much more to me than just a colleague. And you've taught me so much more than I could ever teach you. You're an incredible teacher, an exceptional man, a wonderful father, and my best friend. I don't think it's humanly possible for anyone to be as proud of someone as I am of you right now."

Tears fell silently from Aaron's eyes. Throughout his childhood, all he'd wanted was to hear those words – 'I'm proud of you, son' – from his parents, but gave up on that wish by the time he was ten. Now, hearing them spoken to him for the first time in his life by the one person he admired and respected more than anyone else, was overwhelming. Words couldn't express how deeply those words affected him. And even if there were sufficient words, he couldn't speak them past the golfball-sized lump in his throat.

Dave brushed away Aaron's tears and pulled him into a tight, comforting embrace. Aaron clung to him tightly, fisting the back of his shirt, not wanting to let go.

"I'm always with you, Aaron," he soothed him. "You're never alone. Please remember that."

He felt Aaron nod his understanding.

"I love you, son. And I'm so very proud of you."

Aaron still couldn't speak, so he simply held on tighter. He didn't bother trying to stop his tears, now free-falling down his face. Dave didn't bother trying to stop his own tears either. He knew the action would be useless. Neither wanted to let go, knowing this would be the last time they saw each other until they were reunited in the afterlife many, many years from now, Dave silently hoped. But Jason Gideon's soft, soothing voice let them both know their time was up.

"Dave, Aaron, I'm sorry but it's time. We have to go."

Reluctantly, they separated. They shared sad smiles as Dave quietly gave him a few more words of wisdom.

"Don't try to recover from this alone. Let them in. They're waiting for you." He spoke, of course, of Aaron's team.

Aaron nodded. "Yes, sir." The emotion was still heavy in his voice, as was the implied meaning in his response. He hadn't called Rossi 'sir' in 20 years, but he'd referred to his father as sir his entire life. It was his way of telling Dave that he felt that father/son relationship as well, and he appreciated it.

Dave nodded and followed Jason and Max. After they'd walked a ways, the three men turned back to look at the man hand-picked to continue their legacy. Dave offered a wink and a wave before the three turned once again and walked away. And as they disappeared into the distance, the world around Aaron Hotchner slowly faded to black.

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_We'll carry on, we'll carry on. And though you're dead and gone, believe me, your memory will carry on. You'll carry on. And though you're broken and defeated, you're weary widow marches on._

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**A/N 2: Dedicated to the memory of the greatest Dad in the world... mine. (1943 - 1993) I love you and miss you.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This is the final chapter and epilogue to "Legacy". I probably should have made the epilogue its own chapter, but honestly, I ran out of song lyrics! LOL! Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed our little journey and I hope the ending does it justice.**

**Thank you once again to all who favorited and alerted this story. And a very special thanks to those who reviewed! They are greatly appreciated! Good or bad, reviews are an author's best friend.**

**Thanks again for reading! Enjoy! *leaves tissues again, just in case*  
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><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

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_Do or die, you'll never make me, because the world will never take my heart. Though you try, you'll never break me. We want it all, we wanna play this part. (We'll carry on.)_

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It had been several hours since the blast that killed David Rossi, and Morgan and JJ sat by Hotch's bedside waiting for him to regain consciousness. His injuries weren't as severe as they could have been, which they were thankful for. He had some first-degree burns on the left side of his body. There were some second-degree burns on his left arm and the side of his neck, which were heavily bandaged. He also had a laceration over his left eye, which required five stitches, and concussion thanks to the falling debris. An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth, helping him breathe due to the smoke inhalation. His right side, however, was remarkably unscathed.

Morgan and JJ were growing more and more concerned the longer he remained unconscious. He should have woken up by now. At the same time, however, they dreaded that moment. Neither wanted to have to tell him that his best friend was dead.

"I don't know how to tell him about Dave," JJ's mournful voice broke the silence.

"I don't, either." Morgan rubbed his head. "It's going to suck no matter what we say."

She nodded in agreement. "Did Prentiss and Reid make the identification already?"

An official identification had to be done before Dave's body could be released for burial. JJ had accompanied Hotch in the ambulance and Morgan, now being the senior agent, had to remain at the crime scene until it had been processed. She didn't know which one had ridden in with Rossi.

"Prentiss did. Reid stayed with me at the crime scene. He went back to the BAU to brief Chief Strauss."

"Better him than Emily," JJ chuckled slightly, remembering the rather volatile relationship between Emily Prentiss and Erin Strauss, and how unpredictable the situation could become when the two of them were left in a room alone together. Volatile would be an understatement.

"Yeah," Morgan agreed. "Plus, Emily needed to see Dave for herself. They were really close. This is going to hit her hard once it sets in."

"Yeah." JJ hung her head. Of the team, Hotch and Prentiss were closest to Dave. Dave was their confidant. He was the one person with whom they felt comfortable letting their guards down. And that was a significant feat considering their protective walls were made of steel. Somehow, Dave always knew the right things to say to both of them when no one else did. She knew neither of them would handle his death well, and they'd all have to stay strong for them in the coming weeks.

She looked up at the still frame of her boss and friend, and something unexpected caught her attention.

"Derek," she whispered. He looked at her, concerned. She nodded her head in the direction of their Unit Chief.

"Look," she gasped. Her voice was so low he barely heard her. "He's crying."

They both stood and moved to Hotch's bedside, near his head.

"Hotch? Can you hear me?"

He still didn't move as the slow stream of tears fell from his closed eyes.

"Do you think he's waking up?"

"I don't know," Morgan answered. "If he is, he's probably in a lot of pain. I'm going to go find his doctor."

"Okay."

As Morgan left the room, JJ wiped away Hotch's tears and took his hand in her own, speaking gently to him.

"Hotch? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me. I need you to open your eyes. Open your eyes, Hotch." She squeezed his hand tighter, hoping for any type of response. "Come on, Hotch. We're waiting for you. Let me know you can hear me."

She felt his hand weakly try to grip hers and she smiled, relief washing through her body.

"That's it. Slow and easy. Just like that. You can do it. Just open your eyes."

Finally his eyes began to crack open. As he slowly regained his senses, he looked around. He was in a hospital, but couldn't remember how he got here. He felt someone squeezing his hand and turned his head gently. The slow movement made him groan as his head throbbed in protest. As his eyes caught JJ's, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Welcome back. You gave us quite a scare, Hotch. But you're going to be okay."

"JJ," he tried to speak, but his voice was muffled by the oxygen mask.

"Don't try to talk yet. Just rest. Morgan's getting your doctor."

He slowly brought his unoccupied hand to his face and pushed the mask out of the way.

"Dave," he tried again. He had to take several breaths between words, but he finally managed to get his question out.

"Dave's… dead… isn't… he?"

JJ wiped a stray tear from her face as she confirmed his suspicion.

"Yes, he is."

He turned his head away and closed his eyes tightly, resigning himself to the fact that everything he remembered was not a dream. Dave, Jason, Max. Their conversation in the white room. It was real. It was all real. He draped his arm over his eyes and tried to reign in his emotions.

"I'm so sorry, Hotch."

Morgan returned with Hotch's doctor, Dr. Brenner, and a nurse in tow.

"He's awake?" Morgan looked to JJ.

She nodded and wiped the tears from her face. "He knows about Dave."

"You told him already?"

She shook her head. "It was the first thing he said when he woke up."

Derek moved to Hotch's side and put his hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, man."

Hotch struggled to speak again. "Is… Dave's body… still… here?"

Derek nodded. "He's still here."

"I want… to see… him."

"Hotch," Morgan's voice filled with worry. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

"Morgan," their determined eyes met. "I need to… see him."

They looked to the doctor for his approval.

"Let me examine you first, Agent Hotchner," Dr. Brenner bargained. "I'm concerned that you still seem to be struggling to catch your breath after being on oxygen for several hours. Let me make sure your lungs aren't getting any worse. Then we'll see what we can work out."

Hotch nodded his agreement and the others stepped out of the room so Dr. Brenner could examine him and redress his bandages. He wanted to keep him in the hospital one more day to make sure his lungs were healing properly and to keep him on IV antibiotics to help stave off infections in the burned areas of his arm and neck. He was also concerned about his concussion. Hotch had remained unconscious much longer than anticipated, which led Dr. Brenner to believe his concussion may be more severe than originally thought. Hotch agreed to allow Dr. Brenner to run another CT scan and to remain on oxygen for two more hours, and he'd be allowed to see Dave.

Luckily, the scan did not reveal any more serious damage. And as promised, two hours later Dr. Brenner escorted Hotch and Morgan to see Dave's body. Another doctor, Dr. Maskus, was inside the morgue awaiting their arrival. Brenner introduced them and excused himself to wait outside.

"I'm very sorry for your loss," Dr. Maskus began. "Did anyone inform you of Agent Rossi's injuries?"

"No."

"He did have significant burn damage to his back and right side. But it may bring you some comfort to know that he did not suffer. He was already dead before those burns were inflicted. He died of blunt force trauma to the head and neck. When the roof collapsed, one of the support beams fell across his head and neck. The force of the impact killed him instantly. He never felt any pain."

It was a relief to both Morgan and Hotch to hear that he hadn't suffered. Hotch closed his eyes briefly to steel himself, then turned his attention to Dr. Maskus. "I'd like to see him now."

He nodded and escorted the two agents to the table in the middle of the room. He gently folded down the sheet to reveal only his head and shoulders. Hotch sucked in a breath. Seeing his friend was much harder than he'd anticipated. Morgan put his hand on his shoulder, reminding him he was there for him. They could see some redness around Dave's neck, but could not see the burn damage, for which they were both grateful. He looked so peaceful, like he was sleeping.

"I'll give you a few minutes," Dr. Maskus spoke gently, and went to join Dr. Brenner in the hallway.

"You know," Morgan softly spoke as Hotch laid his hand on Dave's shoulder, "when the firemen pulled you guys from the building, they said he was on top of you. They said it looked like he'd crawled over you to protect you, kind of like a parent does their kid. That's why your right side isn't damaged. He was lying on top of you. He saved your life."

Hotch's emotions were starting to get the better of him. He dropped his head and felt the sting of tears fighting to be released from his eyes. He managed to keep his control long enough to look back at Derek.

"Do you mind if I have a minute alone with him?"

"Sure," he whispered and squeezed his shoulder. "I'll be right outside if you need me."

Once he was alone, he wheeled himself closer to Dave's head so he could whisper to him.

"Jason was right," he admitted. "I remember everything. It feels so surreal, but I remember it so clearly. I don't know how to ever thank you, Dave. You sacrificed yourself to save me. I wish it didn't have to be this way. It just doesn't feel right knowing you're not here."

He stopped to catch his breath, his hand never leaving Dave's shoulder.

"I'd like you to do me a favor, if you can," he began again. "When you see Haley up there, please tell her that Jack and I are okay. And tell her I love her. I missed my chance to do so."

He sighed as the first few tears slipped from his eyes. "And I love you, too. I couldn't have asked for a better father figure than you. I'm only a good agent because you taught me how to be. You looked out for me when I didn't even realize I needed it. I miss you already. So much."

He paused to wipe the tears from his face and breathe again. "Nobody's ever told me they were proud of me before. You have no idea how much that meant to me. I'll try to continue to make you proud. We all will. I won't let you down, Dave. I won't let any of you down. I promise."

He dropped his head and finally allowed himself to openly weep for his mentor and friend.

"Goodbye, Dave."

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

Two weeks later, the BAU team arrived at work earlier than usual. It was their leader's first day back after the blast that had taken the life of an incredible agent and his best friend, and they wanted to be there when he arrived to show him their support. And yet, it came as no shock to any of them that Aaron Hotchner had beaten them there. He was standing on a small stepladder, with a hammer and nails, hanging something over the doorway to their conference room. They all looked at each other quizzically before joining their Unit Chief at the top of the stairs. From there, they could see what he was doing, and they all smiled.

He'd gotten a copy of the letter stating the official formation of what was originally known as the Behavioral Sciences Unit. He'd framed it, along with three photos, one of each of the founding members. He hung them in a line above the doorway as a reminder of what Max Ryan, Jason Gideon, and David Rossi had fought for and sacrificed for so many years, and to symbolize what every agent should strive to achieve. He laid his hand over Dave's picture and bowed his head briefly before stepping down to join his team.

"You know, when the doctors cleared you to return to light duty, I don't think redecorating was what they had in mind," Prentiss snarked.

They all chuckled. Leave it to Emily Prentiss to bring back a sense of normalcy for all of them with just one sentence. She turned her eyes back to the photos and smiled.

"It's perfect." She and Hotch glanced at each other and nodded.

"Yeah," Morgan agreed. "Dave's ego would be loving this right now."

JJ playfully shoved Morgan and Reid shook his head as they continued to chuckle while they filed into the conference room for their first briefing of the morning.

Garcia paused and looked up to Hotch with glistening eyes. "Welcome back, sir. We missed you."

"It's good to be back," he said as she slipped by him and made her way to her seat. Hotch spared one more glance at the legends now standing guard over the BAU, then turned to his team.

"Let's get started."

.

_We'll carry on. We'll carry on. And though you're dead and gone, believe me, your memory will carry on, you'll carry on. And though you're broken and defeated, you're weary widow marches on._

_We'll carry on._

.

**THE END**


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